slowly and quite tiresomely he realised that there was nothing
to deny. His visitor, with an amiable ease, went on talking about
everything in debate between himself and Brissago except----.

Could it be that they had been delayed? Could it be that they had had
to drop for repairs and were still uncaptured? Could it be that even
now while this fool babbled, they were over there among the mountains
heaving their deadly charge over the side of the aeroplane?

Strange hopes began to lift the tail of the Slavic fox again.

What was the man saying? One must talk to him anyhow until one knew. At
any moment the little brass door behind him might open with the news
of Brissago blown to atoms. Then it would be a delightful relief to the
present tension to arrest this chatterer forthwith. He might be killed
perhaps. What?

The king was repeating his observation. 'They have a ridiculous fancy
that your confidence is based on the possession of atomic bombs.'

King Ferdinand Charles pulled himself together. He protested.

'Oh, quite so,' said the ex-king, 'quite so.'

'What grounds?' The ex-king permitted himself a gesture and the ghost of
a chuckle--why the devil should he chuckle? 'Practically none,' he said.
'But of course with these things one has to be so careful.'

And then again for an instant something--like the faintest shadow of
derision--gleamed out of the envoy's eyes and recalled that chilly
feeling to King Ferdinand's spine.

Some kindred depression had come to Pestovitch, who had been watching
the drawn intensity of Firmin's face. He came to the help of his master,
who, he feared, might protest too much.

'A search!' cried the king. 'An embargo on our aeroplanes.'

'Only a temporary expedient,' said the ex-king Egbert, 'while the search
is going on.'

The king appealed to his council.

'The people will never permit it, sire,' said a bustling little man in a
gorgeous uniform.

'You'll have to make 'em,' said the ex-king, genially addressing all the
councillors.

King Ferdinand glanced at the closed brass door through which no news
would come.

'When would you want to have this search?'

The ex-king was radiant. 'We couldn't possibly do it until the day after
to-morrow,' he said.

'Just the capital?'

'Where else?' asked the ex-king, still more cheerfully.

'For my own part,' said the ex-king confidentially, 'I think the whole
business ridiculous. Who would be such a fool as to hide atomic bombs